The Prince's Tale
by KarlaMarie
Summary: SPOILERS FOR BOOK 7! DO NOT READ UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED THE SEVENTH BOOKSeverus is watching, and wondering so many things, the past 3 hours have changed everything...
1. Not quite in life

**_SPOLIER ALERT!!!!_ **

** I HAVE JUST READ THE FINAL HARRY POTTER BOOK AND FELT COMPLELLED TO WRITE THIS! **

**IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE DEATHLY HALLOWS GO AWAY AND COME BACK WHEN YOU DO!!! **

**CONTAINS ACTUAL QUOTES FROM THE BOOK SO READ AT OWN RISK! **

_(DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything that you may recognize, for if I did I would not be a poor university student with no money and my name would be J.K. Rowling instead of KarlaMarie…)_

* * *

Severus Snape had just gotten used to the place when he was wrenched from his state of almost bliss and found himself in the Forbidden Forest only a short distance away from the others who obviously where drawn here with him. He stayed silent, behind what seemed like an old oak tree, although he could not be too sure as everything he experienced now was peculiar and constantly changing.

He had discovered that it was quite odd being dead. For when he woke only moments after his agonising death, he felt only comfort and none of the pains he had normally suffered during his life. He felt oddly satisfied and he couldn't explain to himself why he was. Not dead, for he always thought he wouldn't live past the Dark Lord's second regime. It wasn't death itself that he could not explain; it was why he seemed to be in peace, in heaven.

Severus stayed behind the trees of the forest and saw as _they_ spoke to _him_. It was unthinkable that one of the living could speak to those already past and where not a ghost. But of course _Potter_ would defy the laws of nature and bridge an opening between the land of the dead and that of the living. He stopped his scornful thinking however as Lily's voice carried though the wind and reached his ears,

"You've been so brave"

Her voice, he never thought he would hear it again, he bade her to speak again but instead James Potter continued the dialogue, "You are nearly there," Severus could hear the emotion in his long time rivals voice, but interestingly enough he felt none of the expected scorn and disgust he use to when he heard James Potter speak in the past. "Very close." He continued, "We are … so proud of you."

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked before Severus could even think. He felt instead of spite and loathing, a trace of concern for the boy who was preparing to meet his death. Severus continued to watch as the four figures spoke to Harry and promised to stay with him as he moved through the forest to find the Dark Lord.

He could understand why Potter's parents, Black and the werewolf where here with Potter, but why was he torn from his near paradise, actually why was he in paradise to begin with? He was not a good person, he killed and tortured, and only because of Lily did he seek redemption. It was nothing to do with goodness...

Not before long, they were standing within the Dark Lords presence, Severus and the four other specters with the Potter boy under his cloak, just watching the Dark Lord. Severus, again surprised himself as he watched with none of the fear he used to feel whilst standing before that whom had killed him. In fact it was almost idle fascination that Severus watched Potter reveal himself to the Dark Lord who after a moment or two, cocked his head and raised the Elder wand killing the boy.

Once again he was torn from the living world back into his empty paradise, alone with only his thoughts. He wasn't at all surprised at where he was now. Severus Snape sat on one of the swings in what looked like the playground from his childhood, the one where he meet Lily for the first time. But he was no longer a child, and there was no Lily to meet and fall in love with, just him to keep himself company...

"Severus?"

It sounded like her voice, but he had no doubt it was his mind playing a trick on him; even in heaven he would get no peace from his guilt. A hand touched his shoulder and he flinched, "Severus. It's ok, it's me." He turned around and gave a strangled gasp that sounded like a curse and a prayer at once.

"Lily?"

* * *

**MORE SPOILERS!!! **

I do hope that people enjoy this little story have have begun, it will only be a few chapters long and be based on Severus Snape.

I truly am happy Severus was found innocent by the end of this (Pages 532 -553 The Prince's Tale) Although I am completely heartbroken and lost at his death on page 528, so I decided to extend his lifespan or at least his story just a little bit longer...

I hope you enjoy what I am attempting to do...

_Love always_

_KarlaMarie_

_TheLadySnape _


	2. The playground

**People as promised the second chapter! OH MY GOODNESS i can not believe I have actually written what looks like two complete chapters! Lets see if I can make it 3 shall we ;)  
**

_(DISCLAIMER: If I had written Harry Potter do you honestly think I would kill of the best character...um no, instead I'd make Severus into my person manslave and have him _perform magic_ (wink wink) at my every whim! But alas, J.K owns it and _she _killed him off, the meanie!  
_

* * *

She was so beautiful, ethereal and her presence seemed to almost destroy any grip he might have had on his own reality. Severus whispered her name, as if it were the password to unlock the mysteries of the universe. 

"Lily, I… I…" he shut his mouth unable to articulate his feelings of the moment. She was real and before him, there was nothing more he could want. Or he thought so, until she smiled at him, a soft almost sad smile, and he suddenly needed her to speak to him, to hear her voice again, to hear her actually speak to _him_.

"Oh Sev, I understand now. I truly do." The use of her old nickname for him brought both joy and sorrow to his heart. "I have seen your life, and I have known your thoughts." She seemed to shake her head for a moment, as if she changed her mind about something. She then stepped back and he felt the loss of her presence, she took a seat next to him on the adjoining swing and rocked on it for a minute or two before continuing to speak. "So this is your idea of Heaven, our old playground?"

"My idea? I assure you Lily, that when I woke up from being dead," He raised an eyebrow thankful for the topic, feelings were never something he liked to discuss. "I found myself brought to this place; I did not choose to come."

"Ah Sev, but you did." She looked and smiled at him and he felt his heart leap. "That is one of the great things about heaven, it can take you to the place you most want to be, to the place where you were most happy, even if you do not know it."

"What's your heaven then?" He asked and instantly regretted it, he did not want to hear about her and Potter.

"Oh Sev, you will so enjoy Heaven, there is so much more to it then a place and moment in time," she swung on the swing with some strength now. "For me heaven is seeing that those I left behind are happy and safe, to see them in their lives, their futures. So there isn't a single place where I want to spend eternity"

Severus just watched her, a pleasant smile hovering on her lips as she sung in the playground swing of her youth. He felt happier in this moment then he had felt for years, and at the same time the guilt he had carried was beginning to overwhelm him.

"Lily… "He stopped and took a breath as she stopped swinging and watched him intently. He began again, this time his voice was barely a whisper. "How can you sit there and speak to me as if the past had never happened, as if it wasn't my fault you are dead."

"I know you." She reached out a hand to touch his but pulled back as he flinched. "I have seen you everyday for years. I know you as surely as I know myself." She smiled a little. "I have seen you cry, and heard your pleas, and although at times I watched you do many things I find unpleasant and unnecessarily cruel, too many especially my son." Severus could not decide to cringe or bristle at the remark so he did neither. "I knew that you would protect him and so many others. You were perhaps not the kindest and most caring man Severus, but you are most certainly a good man and that is why I sit here beside you." This time when she reached out her hand Severus did not flinch.

"Lily, I…" He couldn't get out the words he so desperately wanted to say.

"I understand Sev, and I forgave you long ago."

Together they sat on the swing in silence, and Severus basked in the feeling of her hand on his, knowing that she would soon leave to go to her own heaven and leave him once again in his past.

Alone.

* * *

**OMG how depressing can I get... I have a very large dislike for how sappy I made this. I tried so very hard to make it sound real, but i think its a giant ball of sugary sappiness and that just doesn't really sit well with me, but I thought i should hurry up and post the bloody thing before I forget and then you lot would miss out so no more messing with the chapter and here it is!  
**

_Love always_

_KarlaMarie_

_**I really want to thank all those who read and reviewed my story, for it is for you that I continue the story, more so then my own benefit. ** _

**THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR REVIEWS... **

**PLEASE KEEP DOING SO AS IT MAKES ME SMILE and after my Beloved Severus' death I need all the smiles I can get!**_  
_

_Thank you-_

_TheLadySnape _


End file.
